Andrew Cratty (cq, left) stands near Loren and Rachel Troyer (cq, bottom left and right) to shake the hand of their son Loren Eric Troyer (cq, far right), who was struck by lightning and critically injured in June, and was saved by the quick-thinking actions of Cratty, during an appreciation ceremony and press conference in county chambers at the Sarasota County Administration building, in Sarasota, Fla., Tuesday afternoon, August 5, 2008. Cratty received a certificate of appreciation from the county for his heroic actions. "Because of his (Cratty) actions, it's what contributed to him (Troyer) being here today," said Sarasota County Fire Chief Brian Gorski (cq). Dr. Steven Newman (cq), Medical Director of Sarasota County Emergency Medical Services, says that there are 22 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes each year in the United States, which can generate 30 million volts and 10,000 amps from 25 miles away, and account for one in 345,000 deaths from strikes, or 60 deaths each year. Dr. Newman adds that Florida has the highest number of strikes.
I am not one to be overwhelmed by someone who runs a Fortune 500 company, drives an awesome car, or is regarded as a tremendous leader. On the flip side, I am floored by people who do things for the good of their fellow man. Fire fighters, teachers, volunteers and good samaritans, to name a few, all have me at "hello."
Today, I was a bit overcome during a press conference to honor a man who saved the life of another. Both men were enjoying the beach back in June, when a bolt of lightning charged the body of Loren Eric Troyer, and sent him to the ground in a fetal position, critically wounded. The jogger, Andrew Cratty, immediately ran to his attention and began steps necessary to save a life. Troyer is now fine, with the exception of a few minor nervous system issues, and the two met again today in county chambers. When they saw each other and shook hands, you could see and feel the connection these guys had. They had met many times before over the past few months, but this handshake was no different than the others. Cratty was happy to have helped, and Troyer was happy to be sitting next to his bride.
Seeing these bits and pieces of humanity makes me proud to not only be a journalist, but also to witness the good in the hearts of mankind. Even though this was just a press conference and ceremony, it was an "eye of the storm" for me... A place where one can find peace and meaning in the chaos of daily life.
